Debian 13 templates available

[Andrew David Wong]

Dear Qubes Community,

New Debian 13 templates are now available for both Qubes OS 4.2 (stable) and Qubes OS 4.3 (release candidates) in [standard](https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/user/templates/debian/debian.html), [minimal](https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/user/templates/minimal-templates.html), and [Xfce](https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/user/templates/xfce-templates.html) varieties. There are two ways to upgrade a template to a new Debian release:

- *Recommended*: [Install a fresh template to replace the existing one.](https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/user/templates/debian/debian.html#installing) This option is simpler for less experienced users, but it won't preserve any modifications you've made to your template. After you install the new template, you'll have to redo your desired template modifications (if any) and [switch everything that was set to the old template to the new template](https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/user/templates/templates.html#switching). If you choose to modify your template, you may wish to write those modifications down so that you remember what to redo on each fresh install. In the old Debian template, see `/var/log/dpkg.log` and `/var/log/apt/history.log` for logs of package manager actions.

- *Advanced*: [Perform an in-place upgrade of an existing Debian template.](https://doc.qubes-os.org/en/latest/user/templates/debian/debian-upgrade.html) This option will preserve any modifications you've made to the template, but it may be more complicated for less experienced users.

*Note*: No user action is required regarding the OS version in dom0 (see our [note on dom0 and EOL](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/supported-releases/#note-on-dom0-and-eol)).


This announcement is also available on the Qubes website:
https://www.qubes-os.org/news/2025/10/30/debian-13-templates-available/

[qubist]

Are stable templates expected for 4.2?
Currently they show in itl-testing repo only.

[Marek Marczykowski-Górecki]

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On Mon, Nov 03, 2025 at 05:29:28PM -0000, qubist wrote:
> Are stable templates expected for 4.2?
> Currently they show in itl-testing repo only.

They are in stable repo too: https://yum.qubes-os.org/r4.2/templates-itl/rpm/

- --
Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
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[qubist]

Thanks Marek, but why does Qubes Template Manager shows them in itl-testing?

[deeplow]

On Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 at 8:28 AM, qubist wrote:
> Thanks Marek, but why does Qubes Template Manager shows them in itl-testing?

I seem them under qubes-templates-itl on 4.2. Maybe it's missing a refresh?

Best regards,
deeplow

[qubist]

On Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:48:44 +0000 'deeplow' via qubes-devel wrote:

> I seem them under qubes-templates-itl on 4.2. Maybe it's missing a refresh?

No. I refreshed many times.

Could it be related to this:

https://forum.qubes-os.org/t/qubes-template-manager-slow-refresh/34068/6

In qubes-templates.repo I have:

[qubes-templates-itl]
name = Qubes Templates repository
baseurl = http://yum.qubesosfasa4zl44o4tws22di6kepyzfeqv3tg4e3ztknltfxqrymdad.onion/r$releasever/templates-itl
#metalink = https://yum.qubes-os.org/r$releasever/templates-itl/repodata/repomd.xml.metalink
enabled = 1
fastestmirror = 1
metadata_expire = 7d
gpgcheck = 1
gpgkey = file:///etc/qubes/repo-templates/keys/RPM-GPG-KEY-qubes-$releasever-primary

Is it possible that the onion URL is not synced?

[deeplow]

On Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 at 7:17 PM, qubist <qubist...@riseup.net> wrote:
> Is it possible that the onion URL is not synced?

This appears to be the case. I would expect them to have the same templates, but they do not appear to:
- http://yum.qubesosfasa4zl44o4tws22di6kepyzfeqv3tg4e3ztknltfxqrymdad.onion/r4.2/templates-itl/rpm/
- https://yum.qubes-os.org/r4.2/templates-itl/rpm/

Best regards,
deeplow

[qubist]

What is the reason for them not being synchronized?
When will they be?

[Andrew David Wong]

On 11/5/25 5:59 AM, qubist wrote:
> What is the reason for them not being synchronized?
> When will they be?
>

See https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/1352 for more information about this.

[qubist]

Thanks. I don't see the answer there though. That rather seems like an opened and abandoned discussion from 8.5 years ago.

[Andrew David Wong]

On 11/6/25 12:11 AM, qubist wrote:
> Thanks. I don't see the answer there though. That rather seems like an opened and abandoned discussion from 8.5 years ago.
>

It's not abandoned. The most recent post was one week ago. Here are some more explicit answers to your previous questions, to the best of my knowledge:

> What is the reason for them not being synchronized?

Various server, host, provider, and mirroring problems mentioned in that issue. Ask unman (CCed) for more details.

> When will they be?

No one knows (except maybe unman).

[qubist]

On Thu, 6 Nov 2025 18:20:24 -0800 Andrew David Wong wrote:

> It's not abandoned. The most recent post was one week ago.

You are right.

Really strange. This (which I tried to use as a workaround
to https://forum.qubes-os.org/t/contributing-on-github-requires-js-and-that-creates-challenges-and-some-are-discouraged/27082/):

https://api.github.com/repos/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/1352/comments

shows me nothing after 2017.

> Here are some more explicit answers to your previous questions, to
> the best of my knowledge:

Thanks for those!
You have excellent view the project.

[Marek Marczykowski-Górecki]

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On Fri, Nov 07, 2025 at 05:33:50PM -0000, qubist wrote:
> https://api.github.com/repos/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/1352/comments
>
> shows me nothing after 2017.

API is for computers not for humans to read :)
The version for humans is at http://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/1352

API splits response across multiple pages, see
https://docs.github.com/en/rest/using-the-rest-api/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api?apiVersion=2022-11-28

- --
Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
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[qubist]

On Fri, 7 Nov 2025 21:26:32 +0100 Marek Marczykowski-Górecki wrote:

> API is for computers not for humans to read :)

Yeah, I know. But for the moment, the only workaround I found for the JS issue discussed in the forum thread moment, is the API links. Whenever I have the time I may create a script that generates more humanistic output :)

> API splits response across multiple pages, see
> https://docs.github.com/en/rest/using-the-rest-api/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api?apiVersion=2022-11-28

Very useful, thanks! So ?page=N suffix works fine.
Excellent, Marek!